Balanced slide-valve



(No Model.)

J. C. ASKREN.

BALANGED SLIDE VALVE.

Patented Aug. 21, 1888.

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JAMES C. ASKREN, OF CORONADO, KANSAS.

BALANCED SLIDE-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,103, dated August21,1888.

Application filed March 2, 1888.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES C. AsKREN, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Goronado, in the county of XVichita and State ot Kansas,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Balanced Slide-Valves forLocomotives, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to au improvement in balanced slide-val vesforlocomotives and other reciprocating steam-engines; and it consistsinthe peculiar construction and combination ot' devices, that will be morefully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

This invention is an improvement on the balanced valve for which LettersPatent of the United States N o. 342,444 were granted to Lewes Kneeder,May 25, 1886, and on the balanced valve for which Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 356,148 were granted to J. T. Merrill, January 18,1887, and in each of which patents l own an undivided fractionalinterest.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a valve embodyingmyimprovements, showing the same arranged in the steamehest of anengine, said steamchest being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal sectional view of my improved valve. Fig. 3 isatop plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on theline :c a' of Fig. l.

A represents a cut-off valve, which is located in a steam-chest, a, of alocomotive or other steam-engine, and is adapted to slide back and forththerein in the usual manner. On the upper side of this valve is arectangular recess, B, with which engages a yoke, C. The said yoke isprovided with a rod, D, which constitutes the valve-rod, extends througha stuffing-box in thevfront end ofthe steam-chest, and is connected tothe eccentric of the engine in the usual manner.

On the upper side of the Valve A is arranged a circular disk, E, thesides of which project beyond the reduced upper portion of the valve andbear upon the upper side of the yoke, so as to retain the latter inposition on the valve. This circular disk E is provided on its upperside with four radial openings, F.

Serial No. 205,951 (No model.)

Cr represents a series of flat springs, which are arranged at rightangles to each other. These springs are arranged radially on thecircular disk E and project through the openings F thereof, and havetheir outer ends bent upward at right angles to form arms H,which areprovided at their upper ends with outwardly-extending lips I.

K represents supplemental springs, which are arranged on the springs G,the outer ends ot'said springs K extending upward and being nearly incontact with the vertical arms H.

L represents a circular plate or disk the di ameter of which is equal tothe diameter of the plate or disk E. Said disk L is arranged on theupper side of said disk E, and a setscrew, M, extends through a centralopening in said disk L and engages a central threaded opening in thedisk E.

M represents four screws, which extend through openings in the disks Land E and engage threaded openings in the valve. The function ofthe saidscrews is to secure the disk L on the disk Eand to secure the latter tothe valve. In the upper side of the disk L is a circular recess, N, inwhich a packing, 0,01' cork or other suitable material, is placed, whichpacking bears against the under side of a plate, P, that is secured tothe upper side of the steam-chest.

R represents an annular ring having a slit or opening, r, in one side,by means of which said ring` is made expansible. The meeting ends of thering on opposite sides of the slit or opening are provided with alignedin clined grooves r, in which is located a link or tongue, S, whichserves to connect the ends of the ring. The said tongue or link isfirmly secured in one of the grooves and is free to work back and forthin the other as the ring is compressed or expanded. The normal interiordiameter of said ring is equal to the eX- terior diameter ot' the diskL, and said ring is slipped over said disk and bears upon the ends ofthe spring K, and is retained within the vertical arms H of the springsG.

T represents another expansible ring of the same size and construction,which bears upon the ring S and encircles the disk L.

U represents a thild expansible ring of the same construction, thenormal interior diameter of Which is equal to the normal exterior di-IOO ' ameter of ring T. Said ring U is slipped over said ring T andbears upon the lips I of the spring-arms G, and is forced upward by theresilience of said spring-arms and caused to bear snugly against thelower side of plate l? and to effect a steam-tight joint with saidplate. These rings are adapted to expand and contract under varyingtemperatures and to at all times effect steam-tight joints between eachother and the disk L.

When steam is admitted to the steam-chest, it bears downward on thevalve and bears upward against the projecting edges of the disk E andagainst the expansion-rings, the said upward pressure being equal tothat exerted on the base of the valve, and thereby relieving the latterof the downward pressure of steam usual on slide-valves, andconsequently balancing the valve in the steam-chest and greatly reducingthe friction of the latter on the land or lower surface of thesteam-chest.

The springsK serve tokeep the rings S and R moved upward when thesteam-pressure is cut off from the steam-chest, and the arms of thesprings Gserve to keep the ring U at all times in contact with the plateunder the upper side of the steam-chest, so as to prevent steam fromexerting a downward pressure on the upper side of disk L.

My improved balancing devices hereinbefore described are adapted to beattached to the slide-valve of any ordinary reciprocating engine now inuse, as it is only necessary to provide the slide-valve with openings inits upper side to receive the lower ends of the screws M.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of theslide-valve, the disks arranged one on top of the other and removablefrom the valve, the upper disk having the central recess, the packingiitting in said recess and bearing against the top of the steam-chest,the spring armsp'rojecting beyoud the disks, the expansion-ringsencircling said disks and bearing on the spring-arms, the latter servingto normally force the eX- pansion-rings upward, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the valve, the disks secured on the upper sidethereof, the springarms G, arranged on the lower disk, projecting beyondthe sides thereof, and having their arms bent to for-m the arms H andlips I, the springs K on the upper side of arms G, the expansion-ring S,encircling the disk and bearing on the spring K, the expansion ring T,bearing on the ring S, and expansion-ring U, encircling the ring T andbearing on the lips I, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the slide-valve, of the disk E on the upperside thereof, said disk having the central recess or cavity and theradial openings F, communicating therewith, the springs G, arranged ondisk E and having their outer ends lextending through openings F andprovided with the arms H and lips I, the crossed springs K on the upperside of springs G, theupper disk, L, the central screw extending throughthe same, through the eenters of the springs, and through the lower diskand engaging the valve, the screws M, connecting the upper disk to thelower disk, 'the eX- pausion-rings S T, encircling the disk, one of saidrings bearing on the springs K, and the expansion-ring U, encircling theupper ring, T, and bearing on lips I, substantially as described.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have heretoafiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES C. ASKREN.

